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(No Model.)

B. H. STOWELL 82 G. W. TERRY WIRE FENCE.

No. 534,234. i Patented Feb. 12, 1895.-

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7%fneaae3 m STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

ELMER H. STOIVELL, OF DRAYTON PLAINS, AND GEORGE W. TERRY, OF PONTIAC, MICHIGAN.

WIRE FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 534,234, dated February 12, 1895.

Application filed August 23, 1894:. Serial No.521,079. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, ELMER H. STOWELL, residing at Drayton Plains, and GEORGE W. TERRY, residing at Pontiac, in the county of Oakland and State of Michigan, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire Fences, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention consists in the peculiar construction of the devices for applying and maintaining the desired tension upon thelongitudinal wires of a wire fence.

The invention further consists in the peculiar construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts, all as more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of a section of fence embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the end posts showing our tension spool applied as in .use. Fig. 3 is a vertical, longitudinal section through the tension spool and the holding yoke. Fig. 4. is a vertical, longitudinal section through the tension spring and frame. Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a portion of the stay showing the manner of connecting it to the fence wires. Figs. 6 and 7 are sections through the fence wire beside the stay showing the manner of closing the hook.

In building our fence suitable posts are placed at intervals along the place where the fence is to be strung and an end post A, of the construction shown in the drawings, is arranged at the end, of any desired length or section.

B are the longitudinal fence wires, which are strung between the .end posts and may be temporarily secured to the intermediate posts. The ends, or one end of each wire B is engaged in the aperture 0, or otherwise secured to the cylindrical body D, the winding spool or drum formed by that body and the heads of flanges E. The slack in the wire is taken up by turning the spool, which may be done by engaging a suitable wrench or crank F to the squared end G of the end shaft of the spool, the flanges E bearing against and turning upon the face of the post. When the desired tension is obtained these spools are I locked by means of a yoke H having bifurcated ends I adapted to engage the squared sections J of the end shaft of the spool. As soon as the operator has engaged this yoke as shown in Figs 2 and 3 he removes the crank F when the tension of the wire will draw the cross-bar a of the yoke against the rear face of the post and thus hold the spool from turning. We preferably form on one face of this cross bar suitable teeth b to engage into the wood of the post to more firmly hold the yoke from accidental displacement.

If at any time the wires need further tightening it may be accomplished by again applying the wrench, disengaging the yoke and reengaging it when the spool has been turned to the desired extent. The flanges E are preferably sharpened at their edges so as to cut into the post and thus form notches or indentations in the wood in which they will turn and be prevented from longitudinal movement.

It'will be seen that this tightening device is extremely simple comprising a spool with flanges, near the ends a central shaft extension beyond the heads havingtwo squared portions, one adapted to receive the yoke and the other beyond the first to receive the crank or wrench, and the yoke which prevents the spool from turning.

In practical use this device has proved to be an exceptionally efficient one and one which is easily applied and operated. At any suitable point in each wire it is desirable to apply some spring tension device to take up the expansion and contraction of the wires, due to the changes of temperature or undue strains which may be placed upon such wire. The construction which we prefer to employ for this purpose is shown in detail in Fig. 4 and comprises a tension bar K, provided at one end with an eye K in which one end of the wire B is secured. At the opposite end this bar is provided with a washer or head L behind which is a stop pin or key M. This head or washer is provided near its periphery with apertures or notches through which are passed the sides of a wire loop 0, the ends of which are connected to a sliding head 0' sleeved over the tension bar K. Between the heads 0' and L and sleeved upon the tension bar K is a coiled spring P. The other end of the fence wire B is secured to the end of the loop 0, so that tension applied upon the fence wire will compress the spring P between the heads and thus maintain an even tension upon the wire.

To prevent undue strain upon any one or the wires we connect them together by means of stays and these stays are of the construction shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6 comprising two strands of wire I) and c twisted together and at the points at which the wires will be located separated to form a diamond shaped opening cl, at the middle angle of which are formed the hooks e andf, the hookf having its opening downward and the hook e its opening upward so that one hook will engage with the fence wire from above and the other from below. These stays being thus connected above and below to each of the fence wires, it is evident that the wires cannot be moved either upward ordownward without carrying the stay and thereby moving all of the wires together thus distributing the strain. No other fastening is required than these hooks,

but it is evident the hooks may be closed by engaging an instrument, such as is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, into the top of the loop of the hook and bending it over the wire, as shown in Fig. 7.

What we claim as our invention is- In a fence the combination with the longitudinal wires and the end post through which the wires pass, a spool to which the end of a fence wire is secured having sharpened flanges bearing against the post, shaft extensions at the end of the spool, having two squared sections J G, and a yoke having bifurcated legs adapted to engage the squared section J, and a cross bar extending beside the spool having teeth adapted to enter the post, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of witnesses.

ELMER H. STO WELL. GEORGE W. TERRY. Witnesses:

DAVID S. HOWARD, JOHN H. PATTERSON, JAMES S. GRAY. 

